


Humanity (Rachel Dare/Reader)

by Archer_Willows



Series: PJO/HoO/ToA/MC/KC Fictions [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Book 5: The Tower of Nero (Trials of Apollo), Delphic Oracle, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Spoilers, tower of nero spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:56:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26915494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archer_Willows/pseuds/Archer_Willows
Summary: A Rachel/Reader one shot, taking place right after Tower of Nero. SPOILERS for ToN ahead.You have been warned.
Relationships: Rachel Elizabeth Dare/Reader
Series: PJO/HoO/ToA/MC/KC Fictions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1963879
Kudos: 4





	Humanity (Rachel Dare/Reader)

(Promt: Son/Daughter of Apollo reader, who had liked Rachel for a long time, though since she was the Oracle and relationships weren’t allowed, you held back. However, when Apollo became a god again, and the Oracle was reclaimed, its restrictions on its host were severely limited.)

You were doing it again. You were lying sleepless in your bed in Cabin Seven, staring into open space as your thoughts drifted to Rachel. You sighed. It was bad enough you’d had a crush on the most beautiful mortal you’d ever met, who was also the kindest person you’d ever known, who was way out of your league. Even worse she was the Oracle of Delphi. Sure, it was cool and all, but being the Oracle isn’t something you can turn your back on. It’s a lifetime job, and the restrictions are strict. Any romantic relationships could mean horrible things for Rachel, and as much as you wanted to be with her, you couldn’t imagine doing anything to hurt her.

Despite all that, you couldn’t help but like her. She was everything you wanted: she was nice, funny, caring, and beautiful. 

Of course, she only viewed you as a friend. You’d hung out a lot when she was still living in the cave. You’d developed a close friendship.

But then, the Oracle was captured.

Not Rachel herself, of course. But Delphi itself was reclaimed by Python, the evil snake that plagued destinies. Apollo, your father, was sent down as a mortal to free the Oracles and kill Python again. While that was happening, Rachel had lost the ability of prophecy. She went back to her family’s mansion for a few months; and you were lonelier than you had been in a long time. 

But then Apollo came back to Camp Half-Blood. The final battle was approaching. The camp would have to storm Nero’s skyscraper, even though it would be suicide. No matter what, the battle would end today.

Thankfully, there were light casualties. Despite being in the battle, Rachel survived, as well as all your friends. Apollo disappeared down into Delphi, and he fought with Python.

Two weeks later, Apollo returned to camp. He was in his mortal form of Lester Papadopoulos, but he was a god once again. Python had been defeated. Rachel was once again the Oracle.

Apollo had informed the camp that the Oracle was different than what it had been. It was the same spirit; and the same Oracle, but it no longer required certain restrictions to its host. Such as being a maiden.

And the Oracle’s host was Rachel.

That night, You smiled to yourself in bed. Rachel was allowed to be in a relationship. Then you realized that didn’t fix the problem that she only viewed you as a friend. Your smile faded quickly.

The next morning, Rachel was living in the Oracle’s cave again. She sat by the fire, staring into the flames. You sat down next to her. “Mind if I join you?” You asked. 

She nodded. “Go ahead.”

“So, how’ve you been the last six months?” You asked her.

She shrugged. “All right. It’s much less… interesting, living in your parents mansion instead of in a cave. I was nearly going mad, and I wasn’t even having visions. At least not until the end. I prefer it here. I don’t much like being with my parents. Here I have friends.”

She smiled at you.

You couldn’t believe how much she’d grown. She wasn’t really young before, but she seemed even more mature. She was a few inches taller, and her hair was much longer and less frizzy. It was maybe half a foot longer and much smoother. Her emerald green eyes shone with light, but they were more mature looking and less childish. Her jeans and white shirt were covered in paint. In the light of the fire, her face was washed with amber. 

You wished you could stop staring. But she was so beautiful you couldn’t help but look.

Rachel caught your gaze. She looked down.

To try to break the awkwardness, you asked, “Did you miss it? Being the Oracle?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, “I certainly feel more… me, now that I can predict people’s deadly journeys and other schist. But whether I missed sending people to their possible deaths… that part I didn’t miss.”

You shrugged. “But aside from that, you missed it.”

Rachel nodded. “I guess so.”

Barely trusting yourself to speak, you said carefully, “and what about the… loosened restrictions Apollo talked about?”

She smiled and blushed. “I mean, I don’t know how to feel about it. It’s not that I liked having restrictions, but I don’t care  _ that  _ much that they’re gone.”

Your chest felt tight. “So you never thought about rebelling at all? And now that you aren’t under threat of madness if you break them, you don’t really care?” You asked.

She smiled. She leaned over and kissed you. “I guess I could get used to it,” she said.

Your face felt hot, though it had nothing to do with the fire. “So could I,” you responded, and scooted closer to her. Rachel smiled brighter, and wrapped her arm around you. She leaned against you and placed her head in the crook of your neck. Still barely comprehending what was happening, you took your arm and wrapped it around her back. 

And together, as you sat by the fire, her warm skin on yours, arm in arm, you couldn’t stop smiling. You stroked her hair and looked in the horizon as you realized that you’d have to sacrifice a whole lot of food to the gods. You had a whole lot to thank them about.


End file.
